


“Happy Birthday to Daddy’s Girl” Adeline – age 13

by Addie_D_123



Series: Stop running from your past and start running towards your future... [5]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Child Abuse, Daddy Issues, Gen, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-27
Updated: 2014-03-27
Packaged: 2018-01-17 06:03:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1376542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Addie_D_123/pseuds/Addie_D_123





	“Happy Birthday to Daddy’s Girl” Adeline – age 13

Adeline hesitated in the door way, staring at her father’s silhouette in the darkened kitchen. He sat with his back to her, leaned over a bowl of half melted ice cream, eating it noisily. Even hunched over as he was, he looked monstrous sitting there, casting a long shadow across the floor that stopped right at her feet.

“Adeline, come here.” He spoke with his mouth full, shoveling in spoonful after spoonful. She slowly moved one foot forward, bringing it down onto the head of his shadow, jumping at the sound of his voice. “Now!” She quickly walked around the tiny table and stood next to him staring down into his bowl. Butter pecan.

*sluuuuuurrrp*

“Sit down Adeline.” He slurped the melted cream from his spoon. “Your Mother had reminded me earlier, that today is a special day. Is that right?”

She pulled the chair next to him out and sat down on the edge of the seat. “Is it?” Adeline pretended to think for a moment before answering aloofly. “Oh, it’s my birthday today. Is that what you mean?”

He looked up and smirked at her before responding. “Yes, that’s what I mean. How old are you now, twelve?” Taking another spoonful of melted ice cream.

*sluuuuuurrrp*

“Thirteen.” Her shoulders raised up as she cringed at every slurp, stomach tightening as he smacked his lips.

“Right, thirteen.” He dropped the spoon into the half empty bowl and folded his hands in front of him.

Adeline forced a smile and swallowed hard as her stomach churned inside. “Right, well I really should get to bed.” She slowly began to stand when he reached out to put his large hand over hers, stopping her.

“No, stay. Sit.” He picked the spoon back out of his bowl and put it in his mouth, sucking it clean. His eyes fixed on the spoon, he addressed Adeline sharply. “Put your right hand on the table, palm down.”

She swallowed hard again, trying to loosen the tight knot that had formed in her throat. She extended her arm towards him, placing her hand onto the table. She sat in silence, just watching him as he stared at the spoon.

“So Adeline my love, how was school today?” He looked at her from the corner of his eye, smiling faintly.

“Well I don’t know, because I didn’t go.” Her heart pounding so hard, she could see her shirt fluttering with every beat.

He turned the spoon over in his hand and hovered it over hers on the table. He paused briefly, tilting his head to the side as he considered it, and rapped her hard across the knuckles. She sucked a sharp breath through her teeth, and continued.

“I didn’t go in yesterday either. Or the day before that.”

He hit her again, harder this time, concentrating on her middle knuckle. A tiny blue dot began to form, and tears pricked at her eyes. He looked into her eyes calmly before speaking in a soft tone. “And why are you not going to school Adeline?”

Her voice beginning to shake, her other hand clenched in a fist in her lap. “Because it’s a waste of my time. Everyone there is an idiot. And I don’t think I’m going to go anymore.”

He brought the spoon down again on the middle knuckle. It made a strange cracking sound as it connected, and the knuckle had started to swell.

“Interesting.” He seemed fascinated as he watched her blink back tears, her eyes looking back at him. “You know, your Mother and I cannot just let you live here if you’re not in school. And you are still too young to work. So what am I going to do with you then?” He moved the spoon over to the knuckle of her ring finger and cracked the spoon against it hard. “Hm?”

“I’m not sure.” She fought to keep her voice as steady as possible, a single tear rolling down her cheek. He smiled reassuringly and rubbed the side of his face with his free hand.

“You know your Mother thinks I should kick you out. Just throw you out on the street!” He laughed lightly to himself, shaking his head. “But I could never do such a thing, not to my baby girl.” Hitting the same knuckle again, hard enough to elicit a small whimper from Adeline. Her face had gone white, she just watched him with wide eyes.

“So daughter of mine, what do you say?” He moved back to the middle knuckle, lightly resting the cold spoon on her puffy discolored hand.

“Thank you.” She squeaked out softly, yelping louder when he hit that same bruised knuckle again.

“Thank you what?” He looked up from her hand to her tear stained face, grinning.

“Thank you Father.” A small choked sob started in her chest, shaking her all over. He struck her one final time before dipping the spoon right back into his ice cream and taking a large mouthful.

“You’re welcome dear. You are excused.”

Adeline jumped up quickly, cradling her swollen hand against her chest before pushing in her chair and starting for the door. When her father cleared his throat loudly she stopped in her tracks.

“Oh and Adeline,” She didn’t turn to face him, but was frozen mid step. His voice was light and warm as he addressed her.  
“Happy Birthday love.”

*sluuuuuurrrp*


End file.
